The journalist responsible for a Mail on Sunday story which claimed Lord Justice Leveson had threatened to quit over comments made by a government minister is expected to appear before the inquiry next week.

Mail on Sunday political editor Simon Walters co-wrote the report which led Leveson to consider holding an emergency hearing earlier this week.

The front-page story, published on Sunday, reported that Leveson had issued a stern ultimatum to No 10 after Michael Gove warned in a speech of the "chilling atmosphere" the inquiry has had on press freedom. It is understood that the judge made no such threat to quit.

Leveson briefly considered convening a special meeting but decided against it because of the extra costs involved.

A senior Associated Newspapers source indicated that the story would be addressed by the inquiry next week.

Walters can expect to be quizzed about the article, headlined "Leveson's threat to quit", which reported that "Government insiders say they were convinced Leveson was prepared to resign in protest unless ministers stopped passing comment on his inquiry".

Next week the inquiry will hear from political editors from a number of newspapers.

Full details of the witnesses and when they will appear will be published on the Leveson inquiry website on Thursday.

A spokesman for the inquiry declined to comment on who would be appearing next week.

Gove gave a speech to political journalists on 21 February in which he said the inquiry had created a "chilling atmosphere towards freedom of expression".

After Gove said journalists exercised a "precious liberty" when they wrote articles, Leveson told him: "Mr Gove, I do not need to be told about the importance of freedom of speech, I really don't."

The inquiry is currently taking a week-long break following the appearance of David Cameron and several other senior political figures including Ed Miliband, Gordon Brown and Sir John Major last week.

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